Not even the highest posted speed limit in the United States could woo drivers to take the long, long, long way around Austin—particularly through the southern end of the Texas State Highway 130 toll road. The entire road seems to have been built on high hopes instead of actual research and data.

In October of 2012, State Highway 130, the “Pickle Parkway”, opened up in Central Texas with a lot of excitement. Not only does it have the highest speed limit in America, it was the state’s first road built via private-public partnership. But less than four years, later it doesn’t seem to be working out; the company…